The Eyes of a Boy
by Akuma-Chibi
Summary: The Shaman Fight is over, but is Hao really dead? Yoh doesn't think so. With the unwilling Lyserg and uncertain but willing Tamao leading the way,Yoh and friends locate the bleeding,fading,Hao Asakura. Can Hao live a normal life after all that he's done?
1. Chapter 1

**The Eyes of a Boy**

**Summary: The Shaman Fight is over, but is Hao really dead? Yoh doesn't think so, which in extension means neither does anyone else. With the unwilling Lyserg and uncertain but willing Tamao leading the way, Yoh and friends manage to locate the bleeding, fading, Hao Asakura on the outskirts of the Patch Village. The question is no longer whether or not Hao is alive, but if Hao can live a normal life after all that he's done. Is it even possible to form bonds of friendship and trust with those he'd once tried to kill, or will their inability to see past the older Asakura brother's misdeeds push him even further away?**

**Anime/Manga: Shaman King**

**Pairing: Yoh/Anna**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Humor**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**WARNING: SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T "READ" THE "MANGA"!**

**-x-x-x-**

**Chapter One**

**-x-x-x-**

Yoh stared out the window of the Patch _Hotel_ that he and the others, including Lyserg, had chosen to stay at for recuperation. Shamans who had lost prior to the fight between Yoh and Hao, were already packed and heading home, or packing to head home. Those who had been involved in Hao's _downfall_ were given a free night at the Hotel for their efforts, and since technically, there was now no Shaman King, they had pretty much risked their lives to stop Hao, because _none_ of them had become Shaman King...and if Hao was dead, than that meant there wasn't a Shaman King.

Be that as it may be, defeating Hao had left him more sad, than it had made the others...however, he still couldn't help but feel as if, maybe, Hao had survived.

Lyserg, from what Yoh had heard, was getting ready to leave for the first flight back to London; he was ready to go home. He'd mentioned something about going to a Detective School, and possibly following his fathers' footsteps in becoming a Dowser for a renowned Detective's Burrow.

He wasn't really sure what the remaining X-Law combatants would do, now that Hao was supposedly gone, and their reasons to continue with life were supposedly nil. Jeanne had been hanging out with Anna, talking about her own plans, though, from what Yoh recalled, his high-strung, precarious and influential fiancé held little care in her heart for the _holy girl_ that had led the X-Laws all the way to the Shaman Fights in order to kill his twin.

Anna had actually sent him to bed early last night, but he hadn't slept a wink, and instead, he'd sat up thinking about the final battle with him and his older, twin brother. He couldn't shake it, it was there, Hao was there, and he knew...his brother needed him.

"Yoh?"

Looking up from where he sat, Yoh smiled his easy-going smile that had, initially, been what won most of his friends over...and even his _fiancé_. This smile, after multiple clashes, fights and arguments, had also won over his first Shaman friend, the very person who stood in his doorway, Tao Ren. "Hey, what's up Ren. I don't remember leaving the door open."

"You didn't," Ren frowned, walking in and shutting the door behind him, he leaned against it as he stared curiously at his laidback friend. "I knocked, quite a few times. I knew you were inside, Bason told me, but when you didn't answer, I...chose to forgo manners and check what was up with you."

"Awe," Yoh grinned, "were you worried, Ren?"

Ren scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous...I was merely...curious, yeah...curious."

Yoh nodded, "Yeah, right; I believe you."

"...so what's on your mind?"

Yoh stared at Ren, watching him curiously, he thought back to when he'd first met him, standing at the crossway on the street, he had felt a connection with the pointy haired Chinese boy even then, and even when they fought all of those seven months ago, he'd felt something warm coming from the cold boy. He had become something of a confidant to him; he couldn't deny having liked Ren when he'd first met him, even if their first meeting had been less than pleasant.

When Yoh didn't say anything, Ren moved to sit down across from him, knowing he would speak once ready.

Yoh smiled, "Sorry Ren, I can't seem to concentrate on much of anything at the moment."

"What's going on in that thick head of yours, Yoh?"

"It's not so much my head...as it is my heart."

"Eh..." Ren felt himself go stone-faced, readying himself for a mad dash towards the door, "Should I go get Lyserg or Ryu? You know I don't do this sappy and overly-sentimental, a-k-a, nauseating, tête-à-tête..." Not to be confused with a lack of _caring_ as much as...no, he just didn't care. It could be noted that Ren did not like _fluffy_ things...and feelings _clearly_...fell under _fluffy_.

"..." Yoh laughed softly, "I would rather talk to you about this, I'm sure you'll be upset if I don't tell you..."

This had clearly caught Ren's attention. Really, after keeping from him his relation to Hao, what could upset him? Even that hadn't made him mad, and that was big news...well, big news to everyone who _hadn't_ already started to assume they were related in some way, shape or form. Wanting so badly _not_ to talk about feelings and _fluffy_ things, Ren sighed and resigned himself to sitting and waiting for his _friend_ to continue. He would most likely have to consistently remind himself of the fact that Yoh was, indeed, his friend, if he were to make it through this discussion.

"Well, before I tell you, I want to explain that this is _just_ a feeling."

Ren raised a brow, propping his head on his hand, his elbow stationed on his knee as he sat Indian style before Yoh. Mentally, he was praying that the boy wasn't about to confess hidden feelings of love for him.

"...I don't think Hao is dead."

Eyes widened at the thought of Hao having survived the fight that had taken place only yesterday. "...what...Why?"

"Hmm?"

"Why would you think Hao is still alive?" No...No Ren was not afraid of the human hating Shaman...he was just tired of having to deal with him. For seven months, he had strived to get strong enough to be on par with the evil Asakura twin, and was finally able to relax and have a decent sleep last night with the calling of yesterdays fight being in Yoh's favor. He had considered himself lucky, being the fact that he'd been dead not all that long ago, and had it not been for the iron maiden_ nutcase_ he would still be dead, but that didn't mean he wanted to think of the chances of reliving such trauma all over again. Hao may not have been the one to kill him _directly_, but it _was_ his _cronies_ that did him in. So, he thought it was reasonable, not wanting Hao to live...considering...

Yoh sighed, "Like I said...it's just a feeling in my heart. Like...this nagging in the back of my mind, telling me that he's alive, he's hurt, he's scared...he needs me..." Yoh shook his head, "No, it's more than just a feeling," He felt himself lower to the floor himself, tired from the lack of sleep, the over exertion, and the worrying that was straining him both mentally and physically. "I can feel it, Ren...and...I'm happy." A soft look passed over his mocha brown orbs, "I'm happy he's alive...I couldn't live with myself if I'd killed my own brother. He's blood, no matter what his beliefs are, he's my older brother, my twin, and as much apart of me as my own flesh, more so, because our souls are linked, and if he'd really died, I know...a part of me would have died to."

Ren closed his eyes before standing and staring Yoh dead in the eyes, "Are you positive?"

"...yes."

"Fine, I'll be right back. I'm going to go get Anna, Lyserg and Tamao."

"Why them?"

"Lyserg, because he's a dowser, and if Hao is hurt, he'll be too weak to block him or anyone else from finding him. Tamao, because she's an Ascetic and Divination Shaman, she'll be able to help us find him too. Anna's a given, she's your fiancé and if we leave...she's going to come along. Telling the others is your choice, but if you don't, and bring Hao here, it's going to cause more than a few issues."

"...mm, I'll wait here then."

Ren nodded, leaving the room, the door was left open and Yoh was left staring in wonder at the door. _'Hao...'_ He could feel his brother was afraid, and even though he knew Hao would deny such things as fear, he knew everyone had something they were afraid of. Hao, Yoh couldn't help but wonder if it was death he feared...or the knowledge that he was alone. It was weird, but even in the past, Hao had surrounded himself with followers, and now, he was lying somewhere, all alone, and dying. Surely that was a good reason for being afraid...right?

**-x-x-x-**

Anna had been outside with Tamao and Jeanne, enjoying the first rays of light in the cool of the early morning. This wasn't the first time she'd found herself in Tamao's company...however, she couldn't say the same thing for Jeanne. It was strange, since she believed the girl to be out of her mind, but...she was nice, still outlandish in her choice of lifestyle, but nice all the same.

"Anna,"

She turned, looking at the pointy haired boy who had interrupted her peaceful time outside. The other reason for enjoying her time with the pinkette and white haired girl was that they knew when she wanted peace and quiet, and now was that time. "What is it Ren?"

"A word, Yoh needs to speak with you and Tamao. It's important."

"Hm?" She raised a brow at his cryptic justification for pulling her from such a relaxing occasion. "Important to Yoh, or important to you?"

"...what's important to Yoh is important to me," He said it honestly and without a doubt, making sure they knew just how serious he was. "Yoh was my first friend; I would do anything to help him, just like he's done for me."

"...alright, alright...Jeanne, we will be back, I'm sure this won't take long. If it's Yoh, he's probably going to try and con his way out of going to school or something once we get back."

"..." Ren sighed, _'You'll probably wish he had once you hear what he has to say.'_

**-x-x-x-**

Yoh was leaning up against his window, looking out over his shoulder a bit as he watched the people below get ready for the long flight back. "Hope they don't get dropped out of the plane again..."

"Yes, that would no doubt be an unpleasant journey back home."

Yoh smiled, turning to see Lyserg standing with his bag packed and slung carefully over his shoulder. In his hand, Morphea sat watching Yoh curiously. "Yes, I suppose it would. Do you mind waiting in here with me. Ren went to find you, Anna and Tamao, and so, if you wait here, he can just bring the girls and we can get started."

Lyserg tilted his head in wonder, but walked in and sat down none the less, patiently waiting for Ren, Anna and Tamao to come up stairs.

It didn't take long, as the three entered the room only ten minutes later, an irritated Ren glared at Lyserg. "There you are, I was looking for you." He turned to Yoh, "Couldn't you have sent Amidamaru to find me and tell me he was already here?"

Yoh smiled, "Couldn't you have sent Bason to find him?"

"..." Ren blushed, "Never mind."

Anna rolled her eyes. "The dead are throwing their own little party outside, since most people are still asleep this early in the morning; which, Yoh, makes me curious as to why a lazy guy like you are still wide awake. Did you even go to sleep last night?"

He laughed, closing his eyes sheepishly, "Na, sorry Anna, I just couldn't sleep."

She looked him over curiously before sitting down next to Lyserg on Yoh's bed. "So what's on your mind, Yoh?"

"Why does everyone think it's my mind that's doing all the work?"

"Good point, I forget that you don't always use what's in your head." She glared, "No more joking, what is it you wanted to say!"

He was quiet for a moment, not sure how he should go about saying this, especially with Lyserg standing right there. "Well, it's just, I have this feeling that Hao is still alive. He's hurt, and he needs help, but he's out there..."

"**..."**

Ren leaned against the wall, curious what the end verdict would actually be.

"What?" Lyserg looked fear stricken, "A-alive?"

Yoh nodded, "Yeah..."

"And let me guess, Yoh..." Anna stood up and crossed her arms over her chest, "You want us to go find him, is that correct?"

"Yep," He grinned.

"And kill him, right?"

Ren watched the dowser as he started to shake, "Settle down, Lyserg. Clearly Hao is hurt pretty badly, he's too weak to call on S.O.F, otherwise, he would have already tried to kill Yoh."

Lyserg scoffed, "Hao isn't the type to throw a tantrum after losing and come running back swinging blindly. He is probably devising a plan or gathering more followers. You don't know him at all!"

"...no...I don't think so. I think Hao is exactly the type to throw a tantrum. You didn't see him the way I did. When he became the Shaman King, when his heart was clouded...he only wanted his mother, to see her again. He is just like a child, Lyserg, he would throw a tantrum." Yoh smiled, "Trust me, I know him better than anyone here...I only wish the fight hadn't ended the way it did, that maybe he had seen...his mother has always been there..." Sighing, Yoh looked up at his fiancé with a sad smile, "Anna, everyone has condemned him to nothing more than a villain...but there is so much more to him than what everyone see's. The Patch, X-Law's, and every other combatant in this tournament, not to mention my own family...has tried to kill him..."

Everyone listened carefully; Tamao nervously watched as Yoh tried to convince them to help him.

"Clearly killing him isn't the best idea to go off of, since every time he dies, he comes back five hundred years stronger...I want to try something different..." He held her gaze for a few minutes, raw determination filtered his eyes. "Anna, let me be there for him."

Staring at him in wonder, pondering over the chance that helping Hao would actually end badly, she sighed. "...fine, Tamao and Lyserg will help you locate him, but if he makes one wrong move, Yoh...I'll send him to the afterlife myself." She stood with Tamao and made to exit the door, "We will be downstairs in ten minutes, be ready to leave in five." She left the boys staring at the now empty doorway.

Furiously, but resigned none the less, Lyserg walked out of the room with his stuff, stooping at the door, similarly to the way Anna had, he turned to look over his shoulder, "I'll help you find him, and I'll help bring him back, but after that, I'm going home to London...you will never hear from me again...I want _nothing_ to do with that monster."

Ren and Yoh were now left alone, Yoh sighed, "It could have been worse...I just hope Lyserg comes around."

Ren said nothing on that subject, since it wasn't his place. "Do you want me to tell the others, or will you do that when we get back?"

"...we?"

Ren smirked, "You don't think I'm going to let you go find that power hungry moron with only two girls and a pixie brat to protect you, do you?"

"...hahaha, no, I guess not...heh heh heh..." He chuckled, "Although, Anna is a great bodyguard..."

Ren couldn't argue that, the girl was deadly.

"We will tell them once Hao is safely inside my room, and away from prying eyes. I'll explain it all, and while I'm doing that, do you think you can stay and watch over him until I'm done?"

"Mm, yeah...now, let's go get Bason and Amidamaru..."

"Right!" Yoh followed his friend out of his room, not bothering to shut the door to the empty room. He wasn't sure what would come from this...but he hoped it would all work out. _'...no...everything __**will**__ work out...'_

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Chapter One...DONE! Hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Love, Akuma~**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Eyes of a Boy**

**Summary: The Shaman Fight is over, but is Hao really dead? Yoh doesn't think so, which in extension means neither does anyone else. With the unwilling Lyserg and uncertain but willing Tamao leading the way, Yoh and friends manage to locate the bleeding, fading, Hao Asakura on the outskirts of the Patch Village. The question is no longer whether or not Hao is alive, but if Hao can live a normal life after all that he's done. Is it even possible to form bonds of friendship and trust with those he'd once tried to kill, or will their inability to see past the older Asakura brother's misdeeds push him even further away?**

**Anime/Manga: Shaman King**

**Pairing: Yoh/Anna**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Humor**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**WARNING: SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T "READ" THE "MANGA"!**

**-x-x-x-**

**Chapter Two**

**-x-x-x-**

Shadows clung to the wet walls of the dark and clammy caves, inclined up a hill, the cave sat perched out of the way of most forest trails.

'_Weak...so weak...how could I have been...so weak...'_

Creatures kept to the darkness, being sure to steer clear of the bloodied and defeated teen.

'_Why...Spirit of Fire...come to me...'_

Silence followed the boys' soundless command, and with it, nothing came.

'_...Spirit of Fire?'_

Mocha brown eyes hidden behind closed eyelids could barely be seen peeking out from beneath eyelashes. His face was blood stained, his long hair matted to his face and bare back by the blood spilt after the fight he'd caused with his _other half_.

'_Why aren't you answering me...?'_

No answer came; nothing confirmed that his thoughts were being heard.

'_Spirit of Fire...!'_

He called out mentally...nothing.

'_SPIRIT OF FIRE!'_

He called with more force, his thoughts jumbled, his head thumping from a headache caused by blood loss; once more...nothing.

"_**...S-SPIRIT OF FIRE~!"**_

His cry was filled with hurt, pain, loss, and if you listened carefully, you could hear an undertone of betrayal, fear and lonesomeness, as once more...his cry for his Spiritual Guide...went unanswered.

**-x-x-x-**

"_...S-SPIRIT OF FIRE~!"_

Tamao and Anna had been following behind Lyserg who led the group off towards the cave that led to the _Great One_. Behind them were Yoh, Ryu, Ren, Horohoro, and Manta; Ryu, Choco and Horohoro hadn't known how to react to the news, but had willingly agreed to go along with Yoh, after all, they hadn't stopped following him when they found out he was Hao's brother, why start doubting him now? It had been two hours before they heard the strangled, faraway cry of Yoh's older twin.

Actually, where Yoh's plan to tell them _after_ they had Hao in his room, was concerned...he didn't even get halfway down the stairs before he heard Horohoro yell. Apparently, after the Ainu had asked Anna where she and Tamao was going, her blunt answer of 'Hao hunting' had sent the Ice Shaman into a frenzy of 'what the hell's'.

Yoh stopped walking, clenching his shirt right above his heart, he closed his eyes as he tried to ease the aching. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Anna looking ahead at the nonexistent trail they'd been following. Tamao had gotten them pretty far with her divination, telling them that Hao was residing within the cave leading to the dwelling of the Great One, which helped Lyserg zero in on his whereabouts. They were close now, and he wasn't going to stop yet. "Let's keep going,"

"Are you sure, Master Yoh?" Ryu asked, "That didn't sound like the cry of some sad, hurt, dying teen...it sounded angry."

"...no, you didn't hear it right. He is sad, he's also alone, and scared, I can hear it, but even before I heard it...I felt it." He smiled, "I won't leave him behind..."

"..." Ryu chuckled, "You truly are a diamond in the ruff, Master Yoh, we are lucky to have you as a friend." His eyes hardened, "Alright, Tokagero, let us continue onwards, and help out Yoh's lost and confused look-a-like."

"Right!" Horohoro grinned, "I may not like the dude, but let's be serious, Yoh's right, if we kill him now, he'll only reincarnate himself in another five hundred years, and who knows, he might when next time. Who is to say we'll have an X-LAW's, or Yoh Asakura, Tao Ren, Ryu the Wooden Sword, or Manta the next time he's reincarnated?"

"Funny how you conveniently left out your name," Ren said.

"Heh, there will always be a Horohoro!"

"Our hero," Ren muttered sarcastically, "Let us hope we don't have to depend on you and your wooden board."

"Watch it Ren,"

"Humph,"

"Heh, watch a hen!" Choco waved feathers about frantically only for Ren's Kwan-Dao to press painfully into his nose, "AH!"

"Not funny, dude!"

"Disgraceful!" Ren shouted.

Choco cried, "MERCY!"

"Hehe, come on guys, lets not fight; we are looking for Hao right now, so the tension is high enough without any trivial fights."

Anna nodded, "Nicely said, Yoh. You are really starting to come along."

"...huh?" Yoh blinked obliviously, but smiled, "you think so?"

"Yes, now let's keep going. The sooner we find Hao, the sooner we can head home. I'm already tired of these ridiculously high prices; I'm ready to go home, Yoh."

He nodded, "Me too, and we will...but I want to go home with Hao by our side."

"..." Anna walked off with the others following close behind. She wasn't joking about wanting to find Hao and get home, she needed a nice relaxing day with her soap operas that she'd been deprived of for far too long, and perhaps a massage too if she could con Yoh into giving her one. If not, she'd utilize Faust's medical experience and let him ease the pain in her shoulders and back.

**-x-x-x-**

Hao wasn't sure how long he'd been lying there, but he knew he wasn't healing nearly fast enough for the wounds on his body. Hell, if being almost cut in half by his brother hadn't been bad enough, the fall to the rocky hill he'd landed on _had_ almost killed him. He had been knocked unconscious and wasn't sure if a few hours had passed, or a few days, but he'd woken up sometime in the middle of the night and had managed to crawl into a cave that was a few feet in front of him. However, despite it being so close, he had to struggle to get inside. Then he practically pulled himself towards the back of the damp, mildew covered, bitter cold cave.

He couldn't recall a day in his three lives that he'd felt this broken and weak. In the past, he would just be killed, not left to die in pain. Quite frankly, he didn't think Yoh was that type...he wasn't even the type to do that. Hence the reason he just killed the people who upset him, well, that or fed them to his Spirit of Fire, though, they still died either way, it's just one way made him stronger, the other made angry and upset spirits, and he just didn't care to deal with spirits trying to haunt him or hurt him. Actually, right now, he didn't care much about anything, he just wanted to either die and get it over with, or heal and be done with this in-between life and death thing that he was going through.

He heard footsteps echoing towards the entrance of the cave and frowned, wondering if perhaps one of his followers had come to aide him. He knew it wasn't Opacho, the steps were much to heavy for the child; thinking about Opacho, he felt his gut clench and twist at how horribly he'd treated her prior to being beaten by his_ other half_.

**-x-x-x-**

"Yoh, at least let Ren go with you!" Anna argued irritably with her easygoing fiancé, "Hao may still be capable of drawing you into him,"

"Nah, don't worry Anna, he won't try to hurt me. Trust me,"

She sighed in annoyance, "When will you get it through your thick, oblivious skull, Yoh! It isn't you I don't trust, it's Hao! If he had the strength, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy you!"

He laughed, "But he doesn't have the strength, so there isn't anything to worry about. Now, stay here, Ren will keep everyone safe, in case something _does_ happen, but I don't think you need to worry."

Yoh left the group at the front of the cave entrance that Lyserg and Morphea had led them to. He heard Horohoro and Ryu complaining behind him as he grew further away, and Ren made a snappy comment that riled Horohoro up, and then there was silence. Yoh smiled, he was sure Anna had said something, only she could silence them so quickly. Amidamaru hovered before him as he walked through the dark cave; Yoh followed his guardian spirit, his eyes lazy with a lack of sleep, he yawned as he continued further into the depths of the rock-strewn fissure.

Stopping at the sound of fabric rustling slightly, Yoh moved a bit and rounded a corner of the cave where he saw his brother lying on the cold stone ground of the cave. "Hao!" He hadn't expected him to look so...blood-spattered. Moving carefully forward, he jumped at the sound of a broken chuckle.

"I'm surprised..._you_ came..."

"...I couldn't leave you, knowing you were still alive...and hurt..." He got down on his knees before Hao, turning hi so that Hao was lying on hi back now, his head resting on Yoh's lap.

"_You should kill me; I'll only try to hurt you again anyways."_

Yoh smiled at the softly spoken words, "No, it's okay. If I kill you, you'll only come back again in five hundred years, stronger, and angrier...Hao, why not live life for once. You have had three chances, which is more than most people are given, so why not make the most of this one. You know, third times a charm."

"_..."_

Yoh looked down and smiled, Hao's eyes were closed, and his breathing was soft and even. _'He must be so tired, and the blood loss isn't helping either.'_ Closing his eyes, he sighed, opening them up to take in the form of his hurt brother, he lifted his twin into his arms and stood up before walking back towards the entrance of the cave.

"Lord Yoh, are you sure about this?"

"Each time Hao is reincarnated, he immediately sets out to gather followers for the Shaman Fight, then he's beaten and killed before he becomes the Shaman King...well, the fights over, and he's alive, as well...I think he's also the Shaman King..."

"What!"

"_Shh!"_ Yoh sighed, "I want to keep this between us for now. If I think it's going to become dangerous, I will bring it up with Anna and see what she wants to do. She's usually good at things like this. Now, let's head back to the hotel, and back home...hopefully nobody will see Hao and freak out." He joked as he exited the cave. He saw his friends sitting not too far from the entrance. His brother had his head resting on his shoulder, and for the first time since the end of the Shaman Fight, Yoh could feel the relief of having been found, fill his brothers' heart. Yoh smiled, "Is everyone ready?"

No one said anything; they all just stared at Hao, watching Yoh as he walked past them with his calming smile firmly in place.

Anna walked beside him all the way to the Patch Elders cave when Ren stopped them. Throughout the entire trip back, it had been silent. No unusual jokes made by Choco, no yelling or fighting between Ryu, Horohoro, and Ren, no questions from Manta, and no harsh comments from Lyserg. Now all of a sudden, Ren was holding the back of Yoh's shirt with a frown, "We can't just walk out of here with Hao in arm, Yoh. That's asking for trouble."

"He's right, Yoh, what are you going to do? It was only yesterday that Hao was killing people off left and right in his attempt to become Shaman King, no one will forgive him right away."

"And no one is expected to, I know, it's going to be hard to see past that, even for myself, but...he will get better."

Lyserg scoffed, "Hao is a lost cause; you are wasting your time."

"A few here thought the same thing when I refused to give up on you, Lyserg."

Horohoro glared at the green haired boy, Ren nodded his head in agreement; they had been two of many who had thought Yoh was wasting his time. "I don't always like it, but I trust Yoh, and I believe that if Yoh thinks Hao can be changed for the better, than he can." Horohoro said calmly.

"..." Lyserg sighed, "Fine, here..." He removed his green plaid cloak from his shoulder, "Put this around his shoulders and tuck his hands beneath it to hide those gloves, take his shoes off; Anna, lend me your bandana."

Anna glared coldly, "Not a chance, go find something else."

"...well...I suppose we could ask one of the guys to strip for us so that we can wrap Hao's hair up, let's see, how about you Horo, are you up to undre─"

"I will make sure you suffer, Lyserg!"

He grinned, taking the bandanna held out in front of him by a pissed of Anna, her hair literally flaring above her shoulders with her energy. "Thanks, I'm sure you can con Yoh into buying you another one."

"..." She crossed her arms angrily over her chest and watched as Lyserg wrapped Hao's _bloody_, _sweaty _and _smelly_ hair up in _her_ bandana. Oh he would suffer later, she was certain of that.

"Now..." He pulled the bandana down a bit and stopped when his face was completely covered, "No one will know who it is,"

"..."

Yoh smiled sheepishly, "But...Lyserg, he can't breath that way."

"...should I stab holes into it?" He raised a brow, watching as Yoh inched away from him. Ren moved closer to Yoh and pulled the headband so that it stopped on the bridge of Hao's nose.

"Let's go!" Anna snapped angrily, watching as they jumped and took off towards the Hotel.

No one knew what the day would hold, but one thing was for sure, Hao would need constant surveillance, and someone _needed_ to find Faust.

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Hope everyone is enjoying this so far, I'll post the next chapter soon! Review and show me that you love me, Kay!**


	3. Chapter 3

**The Eyes of a Boy**

**Summary: The Shaman Fight is over, but is Hao really dead? Yoh doesn't think so, which in extension means neither does anyone else. With the unwilling Lyserg and uncertain but willing Tamao leading the way, Yoh and friends manage to locate the bleeding, fading, Hao Asakura on the outskirts of the Patch Village. The question is no longer whether or not Hao is alive, but if Hao can live a normal life after all that he's done. Is it even possible to form bonds of friendship and trust with those he'd once tried to kill, or will their inability to see past the older Asakura brother's misdeeds push him even further away?**

**Anime/Manga: Shaman King**

**Pairing: Yoh/Anna**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Humor**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**WARNING: SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T "READ" THE "MANGA"!**

**-x-x-x-**

**Chapter Three**

**-x-x-x-**

Ren looked down at the longer haired, more diabolical version of his best friend. Yoh was in the next room over, finally getting some sleep after Faust had checked up on Hao and given him _just_ enough to help close his wounds. The strike had actually managed to avoid his _pretty boy_ face, as Horohoro had called him, which in return had Anna staring at him with a raised brow. The fact that He and Yoh were twins had her thinking about his opinion of Yoh. After a few minutes of him explaining to Anna about the differences in their faces, she just rolled her eyes and walked away. Now, Anna had given strict orders to let Yoh sleep, and so, he, Horo, Ryu, Choco, and Manta, were on sentry duty.

Sitting on the floor, he watched over the older twin, waiting for any tell-tale signs of the boy waking up, and coming up empty handed after four hours of this.

_**~TapTap~**_

Ren looked at the door as Horo opened the door and peeked in, "Yo, Ren, you ready to switch? Anna said to go get something to eat."

Ren stood and stretched, "I guess that answers your question." He gave a tired laugh, "What her majesty says...goes..."

"You better believe it!" Horo sat on the end of the bed at Hao's feet. "I'll be watching sleeping beauty, you go grab a bite before the Queen Bee finds her way in here. She is particularly crabby today."

Ren nodded, walking out of the room and closing the door behind him. He looked curiously at Yoh's door before curiosity got the better of him and he carefully cracked the door open to see if his friend was finally getting some sleep.

"He's out cold,"

Ren jumped a couple inches in the air and turned to see Anna standing behind him. "Anna,"

"You...go eat, I'll watch over Yoh for a while; I want to make sure he sleeps well."

Ren glanced inside the room once more and confirmed that his friend was truly asleep before nodding and leaving to eat.

Anna entered the room and looked on at her fiancé, sitting down beside him on her knees, she stared at the closed door, than back at Yoh, and finally, she lay down beside him and rested her head on his chest. She wasn't next to him in a way that her body was pressed against his. Quite the opposite, only her head was touching him, as she made more of a horizontal **T**, than anything.

She let her eyes drift closed and finally, she let sleep capture her, and drag her off to a world of her own creation. One that surprised her greatly, seeing as how it consisted of, herself, Yoh, Hao...and a child.

**-x-x-x-**

Lyserg glared at anything and everything that was moving, if someone walked by him, he scowled, if someone laughed, he snarled, if someone touched him, he turned red with anger and moved out of their touch. Now, in his defense, he was just trying to cope with the fact that he wasn't allowed to kill Hao, which was highly understandable. The boy had killed his mother and father, and many other unlucky Shamans!

"_They may think you can be trusted, but when you show your true colors, I'll be there to send you to hell!"_ he muttered hatefully, Morphea watched from the corner of the room, her master was doing the same thing as last time, acting as twisted as he had when joining the Iron Maiden. This scared her, and in her fear, she left the room to find her spirit friends.

**-x-x-x-**

Horohoro looked at his friends twin, "You don't look so evil and conniving..." he sighed, "Dude, I know you're asleep and all, but it is probably best if I say this all the same, hopefully you'll hear it anyways. If you screw up, this is the last chance you'll get to live a life at all. You don't meet someone like Yoh every five hundred years, if you don't take this chance for what it is, and you die again...you will go through this all over again; reborn, to fight for the title of Shaman King...only to die a few inches from your goal." Horohoro scoffed, "You keep getting stronger when you are reincarnated...but the people who fight you get stronger and stronger too. There will always be someone...who will be there to bring you down...but this is the only time there will be someone to hold you up..."

"_Wise words coming from an idiot."_

Horohoro jumped and stared at Hao, his eyes were still shut, so he wasn't one hundred percent sure it had been Hao who had spoken, but then...no one else was in the room with them.

Hao opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling for a few moments before his eyes turned to Horohoro who lost color to his face.

"_Where is he...?"_

Calming his heart, he breathed in and out before standing, "Yoh is sleeping, he wouldn't sleep before because he couldn't stop thinking of you, he was too worried, so finally, he told us and we went out looking for you. He's next door to you..."

Hao made to stand only to cry out softly and fall back, his hand moving to his chest.

"It still hurts, doesn't it," Not a question, Horohoro stared at the once demented teen.

"_No, I just decided to make an obscene noise of weakness for fun."_

Horohoro laughed, "Well, get used to that wound, it'll scar for sure, and hopefully it will be a reminder of what could have happened. You were given a second chance, Hao, and do you know who gave you that chance?"

Hao turned away, looking out the window, he was really wishing the boy beside him would stop breathing all together, or at the least stop talking.

"Answer me!"

Ren entered the room a few moments later, Anna and a sleepy Yoh behind him.

"_Yes..."_

"Then tell me," he demanded, "you have no clue, we weren't thrilled about hearing you were still alive, your brother was, so tell me, tell me who it is who has given you this second chance, because quite honestly, I'm not sure you deserve it!"

"...Yoh..." Hao's voice came out hard, "My brother gave me this second chance, and I will take it for what it is..."

Horohoro scoffed, "And what is that?"

"..."

Horohoro looked down to see that the boy had fallen back to sleep and growled out irritably, _"Che...of course he'd fall back to sleep..."_

Ren walked in, making himself known to the ice Shaman by dragging him out of the room.

"I'll stay this time, Anna." Yoh said, taking a seat beside Hao's bed.

Anna sighed, but nodded all the same. Clearly, the only ones who could watch Hao without loosing their head would be herself, Ren and Yoh.

Leaving the room, she made her way back to Yoh's room where she laid down on his futon and fell back to sleep in the warm confines of his blanket and the safety of his scent.

**-x-x-x-**

**(The Next Morning)**

Everyone was saying their farewells to the Iron Maiden, who...in accordance to Ren...would be coming down to visit them once everything settled down. _'Of course she will,' _Anna sighed, knowing full well that the _Iron Maiden_ was bound to make this difficult if she found out about Hao.

She gave a hug to the girl and watched as she made her way to the other X-Laws, climbing into the Iron Maiden, she was pulled away with an awkward silence left behind.

"We need to leave," Ren said as he stepped up behind her, "My family's plane is here, we will be taking it instead of the Patch Plane."

"Good! I'm tired of being here, let's go!"

Ren nodded and made his way to _Hao's_ room, finding Yoh still awake, watching over his brother with sleepy eyes fighting to stay awake. It was something of a slow-motion movie reel as he smiled, watching Yoh finally lay his head down next to his brothers hand which Yoh had been holding. Ren came over to the two and poked gently at Yoh, nothing...with a small nod, he picked his friend up as Ryu walked in to check on them. "Grab Hao, will you,"

Ryu sighed and nodded, picking up the older twin, he followed Ren out the door and over to a large Plane. Climbing the steps, they entered and stopped in their tracks, shocked to find that Anna had already put Manta to work on cooking her something with the food on the plane. She had ironically, placed her in the _first class_ section of the plane, which was technically where Ren's mother and father normally sat while he and Jun would sit in the _second class_ part of the plane, keeping to themselves.

"What took you both so long!?"

'_Still a slave driver!'_ Ren rolled his eyes and placed Yoh in the seat beside Anna, who watched him carefully.

"Miss. Anna, what should I do with Master Yoh's brother?"

"...over there, I think it's my turn to watch him anyways," she pointed to the seat on the other side of the isle from her.

Ryu nodded and gently, carefully, placed the crazed Shaman down so not to wake him up.

"Everyone who is awake will be in the back part of the plane, hopefully, we can get home before Hao wakes up; it won't do any of us any good if he gains enough energy to blow the plane up or something." Ren looked out the window as Tameo, Horohoro, Parika, Lyserg, and Choco made their way up the other steps that led to the second class passenger seats. "I'll check with the Captain to see if we are ready to go,"

Anna nodded, "Be quick, you are right about Hao, and I'm still not sure about him. I trust Yoh...but..."

Ren smirked, "yeah, I know."

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: So their going home...I wonder how Hao will take his second chance at life...**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Eyes of a Boy**

**Summary: The Shaman Fight is over, but is Hao really dead? Yoh doesn't think so, which in extension means neither does anyone else. With the unwilling Lyserg and uncertain but willing Tamao leading the way, Yoh and friends manage to locate the bleeding, fading, Hao Asakura on the outskirts of the Patch Village. The question is no longer whether or not Hao is alive, but if Hao can live a normal life after all that he's done. Is it even possible to form bonds of friendship and trust with those he'd once tried to kill, or will their inability to see past the older Asakura brother's misdeeds push him even further away?**

**Anime/Manga: Shaman King**

**Pairing: Yoh/Anna**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Humor**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**WARNING: SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T "READ" THE "MANGA"!**

**-x-x-x-**

**Chapter Four**

**-x-x-x-**

Hao had woken up during the flight, right around the time Anna herself had fallen asleep. He did nothing, looking to see that his brother too was awake. He watched as Yoh quietly got up from his seat and moved to the seat beside Hao who was sitting up carefully, trying not to upset his injury.

"Sorry..."

Hao raised a brow. "Are you apologizing for the uncomfortable plane ride, or cutting me down and sending me plummeting to what _should_ have killed me."

"Ah...almost killing you," Yoh smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."

Hao shrugged, "I think I tried killing you first,"

"Hehe,"

"...why did you come looking for me?"

"You went looking for me too..."

"Hm?"

Yoh smiled, "Not for the same reason, mind you. You were out to kill me, but that doesn't matter. I couldn't leave you. I couldn't sleep after the fight, I kept thinking about you, and I knew you were alive."

Hao smiled softly, sighing, he glanced out the window. "By any chance, did you come across Opacho?"

A small frown met Yoh's lips as he shook his head, "I did look for her, but she was already gone."

Hao didn't say anything to that, and Yoh didn't continue the conversation. It would take time for either of them to feel completely comfortable around one another, and they both knew that.

It would just take time...

**-x-x-x-**

Ren sighed irritably from where he sat by Horo Horo. "I'm going to check on Anna and Yoh, and then check in with the captain to see how much longer we've got to go." He told his Ice friend as he stood up and stretched.

"Right..."

Before walking up front, Ren glanced around at the others, finding everyone but Horo Horo and himself asleep. He wondered if it was wise be sleeping so peacefully, but let it go and turned to make his way to the first-class seats.

Now, his prepared reaction was set for entering to find Anna awake and perhaps even Yoh awake with Hao sleeping soundly and danger free across the aisle from them. However, upon entrance, he was forced to depend on his shocked reaction and the muscles in his mouth that seemed to be good at only opening and closing his mouth in a repetitive motion. "Ah...what..."

The two boys his age turned and faced him simultaneously, Anna was sleeping peacefully while they had apparently been up talking quietly amongst one another.

"Ren...come join us."

Ren blinked a few times, wondering if Anna had woken up long enough to slap him into another world or a paradox. "Are you crazy Yoh?"

"**Shhh~!"**

Both Hao and Yoh glanced to Anna who had stirred a bit, Hao spoke normally, in his calm tenor, turning his attention back to Ren. "We aren't doing anything wrong, so come join us. We're just sitting here, talking occasionally, can't be any more boring than the excitement taking place in the second-class compartment."

His sarcasm was obvious. Ren watched Yoh chuckle a little beside Hao before sighing and resigning himself to the seat across from the two of them. "If Anna wakes up, you both know you won't get out of anything less than a yelling, yes?"

Yoh shivered, but Hao just shrugged, "I don't recall ever being afraid of Anna."

That was true. Ren wasn't afraid of the brash, blonde either, though...she was extremely abusive when guys did something she didn't like; still, he couldn't say he was frightened.

"Ren, how are the others?"

"Sleeping, all but Horo at least."

Yoh frowned, "I'm tired, but at the same time, I'd rather not sleep on a plane. Last time, we were rudely excused from the plane without so much as a real warning."

"I thought it was rather cute...like a little game of "don't hit the ground to hard"."

Yoh pouted, "Yeah, but you had your Spirit of Fire there to just fly you around everywhere. We had to do spirit unity all of a sudden and figure out a way to not die..." Hao chuckled, though now it didn't really reach Yoh's ears. He realized almost immediately what he'd said wrong and blanched, "Ah, sorry Hao. I forgot."

Ren frowned, "What?"

Hao looked out the window and sighed, "SoF won't answer to my calls...I don't know what happened to it...and on top of that, worse even...Opacho."

Ren looked thoughtfully down at his hands, "The little bouncy girl always hopping along after you?"

Hao nodded, "Her name is Opacho,"

"I see, I haven't seen her around since she ran off during yours and Yoh's fight."

Nodding again, Hao turned his attention on Ren, "I was already told as much by Yoh. She ran away...I scared her. Opacho has been with me since I found her nearly six years ago in Africa."

"How old is she?"

"Two," he answered Yoh's question and watched the two boys as their eyes widened slightly.

"Two? How did you find her?" Ren questioned the fire Shaman curiously.

Gazing down at his hands, Hao thought back to the day he first came across the little African girl. "She was dying...of famine, and disease. I remember, they discarded her from the village because she wasn't going to make it. I don't know what made me take pity on her, but I pushed some of my own Furyoku into her body. Not enough to hurt her frail body, but enough to get her respiratory and body working again, and to heal some of her bodies' inner quarrels. I fed her, bathed her, raised her...I even named her. Originally, I named her Ohachiyo...but after some time, it became apparent that she couldn't quite pronounce the name right, and she continued to call herself Opacho in the third person. It was a few years of training the little girl and collecting followers, I realized, I'd begun to love the child. She was, in many ways, my daughter. I had taken her in, took care of her. She is probably the only one I'd ever risk my life to protect. I let myself get blinded with power, my goal and exterminating humanity...I lost Opacho..."

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is chapter four, sleepy time she comes. Tell me what you guys think! LOVE YOU GUYS~!**


	5. Chapter 5

**The Eyes of a Boy**

**Summary: The Shaman Fight is over, but is Hao really dead? Yoh doesn't think so, which in extension means neither does anyone else. With the unwilling Lyserg and uncertain but willing Tamao leading the way, Yoh and friends manage to locate the bleeding, fading, Hao Asakura on the outskirts of the Patch Village. The question is no longer whether or not Hao is alive, but if Hao can live a normal life after all that he's done. Is it even possible to form bonds of friendship and trust with those he'd once tried to kill, or will their inability to see past the older Asakura brother's misdeeds push him even further away?**

**Anime/Manga: Shaman King**

**Pairing: Yoh/Anna**

**Genre: Romance/Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Humor**

**Rated: M for Mature Content**

**WARNING: SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T "READ" THE "MANGA"!**

**-x-x-x-**

**Chapter Five**

**-x-x-x-**

"HOME!"

Ren raised a brow as Horohoro fell backwards on Yoh and Anna's front yard. "I do believe you live with the Koropokkuru...or is that wrong?"

Horohoro glared at Ren, "Is it really necessary to take away the joy of finally being somewhere relaxing?"

"Yes...it is necessary."

"Hush! Ren, carry Hao inside!"

Ren scoffed but did as he was told. Rather than upsetting Anna any more than they had on the way home, he'd wanted to just do what was told and get it out of the way.

Yoh took Anna by the hand and guided her away from the group so that he could talk privately with her for a moment. Watching from the corner of his eye as Ren took Hao from the Limo that Ren had awaiting their arrival, and brought him inside their home. "Anna, why don't you take the rest of the day to relax a bit; go to a spa and just...let go..."

"...Yoh..." her voice came out softly and she stared lost in his eyes for a moment before they narrowed dangerously at her fiancé. "If you think I'm stupid enough to leave you alone with your murderous twin, even for an hour or two, your wrong!" She turned away and faced the shortest among the group. "Manta, go fix a room for our newest house guest. Ryu...food! Get started on it! Horohoro, Choco...the floors are dusty and dull, clean and wax them! Tamao...you will go with Ryu to get the groceries he needs for dinner tonight, be sure he doesn't stray."

"Y-yes...Anna."

"**..."**

"Well? Do I need to give you each manuals before you know how to do as told!?"

They each jumped to it, running off in different directions to appease Anna's temper.

Ren walked back to Yoh and Anna a few moments later, turning as Choco raced down the hallway with a dry cloth, wiping away the dust on the floor as he did. "Already dishing out orders, Anna?"

"...humph...if these guys are going to hang around eating our food and sleeping in our home, the lease they can do is work for it. I do not accommodate to freeloaders."

Yoh laughed sympathetically, "You don't accommodate to anyone..." Anna glared heatedly at Yoh, who...somehow...wasn't really all that affected by it. He just smiled innocently at her, turning away as Ryu and Tamao made to leave with a list of things they needed to pick up. "Tamao, Ryu...can the two of you could also pick up some basic clothes for Hao...a Yukata or two as well...and some socks and shoes?"

Ryu nodded, "Of course, Yoh!"

They left after adding to their list Yoh's request.

"You are one in a million, Yoh..."

"Why do you say that Ren?"

"...it's just my personal opinion, but no matter how many hundreds of years pass by, there will never be another Yoh Asakura..."

"...hm, you think?"

"I know."

Anna watched Ren and Yoh as they settled down to relax a bit. The only reason she wasn't making Ren do anything, is because he had his own place to stay, not to mention, he had provided the ride from Patch, and from the airport, not to mention quality food on the trip. He had already done his part.

**-x-x-x-**

"So...what are you going to do with Hao?" Ren asked curiously, keeping an eye on the area around him. No longer did Yoh's home make him feel at ease now that he knew who was being housed within it.

Yoh lay back on a pillow that was set in the living room, technically for Anna. But she was sitting up watching her soap operas at the current moment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you going to tote him around to school like a backpack, or do you plan to leave him at the house while you and Anna are at school?"

"...we will enroll him in Shinra Private Academy."

Yoh gave a sheepish laugh at the thought of Hao attending school.

"Well that should be interesting; I'm almost tempted to transfer." Ren rolled his eyes at the thought. "If you think Hao will actually go to school, you are out of your mind."

"Excuse you?" Anna gave a dark look at Ren.

"You heard me, and your acting more naïve than Yoh is if you think for a second Hao will agree to go to school. He hates humans, why would he place himself in a position where he is forced to interact with them?!"

"Because he has no choice, this is his last chance to do anything, throwing it away because he has a bad temper and doesn't like something is no longer an option. Besides...I hate Hao...but he has more honor than to throw this in Yoh's face. Yoh saved his life...he will live...for Yoh's sake."

Ren and Yoh took in Anna's serious expression, neither were sure how much water her statement would, or could hold...but both were curious to find out.

"Then I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay in Japan a while longer," Ren sighed, "I'll have my transcripts transferred over to Shinra immediately. See the two of you at school, Monday." He said, politely excusing himself from the room as he left to return to the Hotel he and Jun had been staying at.

"...three days...that's not nearly enough time to relax." Yoh sighed.

"But it's plenty of time to convince your brother to go to school, which will be exactly what you will be doing, Yoh." Anna said simply before returning to her soap opera. Yoh stared flabbergasted at Anna, but said nothing to argue with her. He had his own reasons for wanting Hao to go to school with him...he honestly, just wanted Hao to have...a normal...life.

**-x-x-x-**

**Me: Here is the next chapter to The Eyes of a Boy. I hope you all enjoy, leave me a Review and let me know what you think, nyan!**


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